I mean this response in good will and I'm ging to limit my comments to classical because it is the easiest example. I have a basic problem with the concept of perfection, or absolute sound. I just don't think it exists in anything let alone the recording and reproduction of classical music. There are physically intractable problems in trying to reproduce the Mahler 8th in your living room. We have chosen our system for the most realistic reproduction of late romantic music and it does an excellent job given the recordings we have as a source. It does have moderate minuses on the reproduction of superbly recorded string quartets for which we would go back to Quad electrostats. Moving back to a Tact from a Sigtech would be a very big step for our taste in music because of the differences in implementation of correction curves. This is based on direct experience. The MSB to dCS is less of a gap because what very few shortcomings the MSB has tend to be euphonic on many classical CD's but certainly not all. I guess my major point is this: the gap between 15K and 75K for the best Mahler or Bruckner recordings is very significant compared to a live performance. If you listen to chamber music the cost of a system would be a lot lower. Over 75K I believe you are into trade-offs and preferences given the current quality of the source material.
Can $15,000 Sound As Good As $75,000?
The answer is no, but it's real close.
I was reading a recent TAS issue where different writers were putting together entire systems. J. Valin comes up with a $75,000 setup centered around Peiga speakers, Krell electronics and Purist Audio/Nordost cables. While I've not heard the Krells or the Purist components, I have heard a demo of the Peiga. They were very impressive. For the sake of argument, let's rate JV's recommended system as outstanding sounding. Ten pages later, a different writer recommends a $15,000 system centered around the new, big Quads, Innersound power amp, Meridian CD, Placette preamp and Kimber cables. From my experiences with the Quads, Innersound and Meridian, I believe this system is also capable of outstanding music reproduction. I'm not saying that the systems will sound the same, nor am I denying that skilled listners will not have a strong preference for one system over the other. The key point of my observation is that for one fifth the cost, comparable sound quality is attainable. This is a very dramatic example of the role of diminishing returns.
MY QUESTION IS, for those who have invested large dollars in your systems, using perfect hindsight, would you truly have had to settle for lesser sound if you had spent substantially less?
BTW, at a personal level, I have roughly $40k in my main system. I don't imagine it sounds much better, if at all, than the $15k recommended system. I strongly prefer my system (deeper bass, higher volume capabilities), but it is a sobering comparison.
I was reading a recent TAS issue where different writers were putting together entire systems. J. Valin comes up with a $75,000 setup centered around Peiga speakers, Krell electronics and Purist Audio/Nordost cables. While I've not heard the Krells or the Purist components, I have heard a demo of the Peiga. They were very impressive. For the sake of argument, let's rate JV's recommended system as outstanding sounding. Ten pages later, a different writer recommends a $15,000 system centered around the new, big Quads, Innersound power amp, Meridian CD, Placette preamp and Kimber cables. From my experiences with the Quads, Innersound and Meridian, I believe this system is also capable of outstanding music reproduction. I'm not saying that the systems will sound the same, nor am I denying that skilled listners will not have a strong preference for one system over the other. The key point of my observation is that for one fifth the cost, comparable sound quality is attainable. This is a very dramatic example of the role of diminishing returns.
MY QUESTION IS, for those who have invested large dollars in your systems, using perfect hindsight, would you truly have had to settle for lesser sound if you had spent substantially less?
BTW, at a personal level, I have roughly $40k in my main system. I don't imagine it sounds much better, if at all, than the $15k recommended system. I strongly prefer my system (deeper bass, higher volume capabilities), but it is a sobering comparison.
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- 19 posts total
- 19 posts total